Nic's Race 5k, Kids 2k, & Duathlon

This is a fun event for kids, families & competitive athletes. You are welcome to participate in-person or virtually in the 5k, 2k Family Fun Run, Family Fun Duathlon Relay  & Kid's Duathlon races at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska. We also have a virtual 5k option where you can complete the 5k from where ever you are in the World! In-person start times are listed below, on Sunday, September 28th, 2025 at Kincaid Park. The start/finish line will be at the top of the Coastal Trail near the roundabout at the end of Kincaid Park, behind the chalet. The transition area for duathletes will be the parking spots next to the multi-use trail, near the top of the Coastal Trail. 

All race proceeds will go into a fund to support the NicStrong Foundation, which will provide financial support kids in Alaska experiencing cancer, along with supporting youth sports and academics.

Nic was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in the spring of 2019, in the last week of his 6th grade school year. He had been experiencing leg pain which was attributed to growing pains, or sciatica by various physical therapists. He worked through the pain as a triathlete, a new passion he found and had even completed his first 10k a few weeks prior. Once diagnosed, the family was advised to seek treatment out of state, as resources for the rare and aggressive cancer were not available in Alaska. Nic received treatment at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD so they could stay with his maternal grandparents and have family close by. He and his mom, Jane stayed in MD with dad, Pete and his then 16 year old brother, Jack, staying behind in Alaska for work and resume high school. Treatment for Ewing’s is tough, with a prescribed 14 rounds of chemotherapy every other week, and in Nic’s case, 6 weeks of radiation. After treatment which commenced in January 2020, Nic was able to return to Alaska to visit, enjoy a bedroom transformation orchestrated by fabulous Alaska friends, and get much needed friend time. He then embarked on an epic trip to Orlando for Universal and Disney. During the trip to Disney less than 6 weeks after treatment, his pain returned. Once back at Hopkins, scans revealed that tumors had returned in multiple areas and secondary chemo and therapies were begun. Added to this, covid threw a wrench into visits from friends, strict protocols for the clinic and any other further trips that could be taken, including a Wish trip to Paris. Despite all of these obstacles, Nic enjoyed life as much as possible, laughing, trying new things, enjoying family and every moment he had on Earth. Nic passed away peacefully on July 6, 2020 at the age of 13.

Nic's Race is celebrated as a remembrance of Nic's life. His birthday was September 28th. 

2023 NicStrong Board 

From Left to Right: Anaely Leon-Hernandez, Kristin Main, Jane Nelson, Shannon King Hamlett, Heather Helzer, Britta Manning (missing Natasha Pineda)